Vacuum ultraviolet continuum lamps

Abstract

A conversion device for converting a resonance photon into a photon characteristic of a molecule whose lowest state is not stable, comprising a resonance lamp emitting light characteristic of a first gas and a conversion cell filled with said first gas and a rare gas. The mixture in said conversion device is illuminated by the resonance radiation characteristic of the first gas by the resonance lamp so as to produce the excited gas atom of said first gas in said conversion device, on which then forms a molecule by association with either first or second species.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A conversion device for converting a gas resonance photon into a photon characteristic of a gas molecule comprising in combination: a resonance lamp filled with a first gas and providing resonance radiation at a first frequency characteristic of said first gas;   a window in said resonance lamp having a lip extending outwardly about its periphery;   a conversion cell, one wall of which is said window;   a mixture of said first gas at at least one other gas filling said conversion cell, with radiation from said lamp directed through said window into said cell forming molecules of said first gas,   which molecules decompose into atoms emitting continuum radiation at frequencies lower than said first frequency; and   a getter within said conversion cell.   
     
     
       2. The conversion device of claim 1 wherein said first gas has a partial pressure between 0.1 and 10 torr and said other gas has a partial pressure between 100 and 10,000 torr. 
     
     
       3. The conversion device of claim 1 wherein the first said gas has a partial pressure between 0.1 and 10 torr, said other gas comprises a second gas having a pressure between 100 and 10,000 torr and a third gas having a pressure between 0.1 and 10 torr. 
     
     
       4. The conversion device of claim 2 wherein said window is lithium fluoride. 
     
     
       5. The conversion device of claim 2 wherein said window is magnesium fluoride. 
     
     
       6. The conversion device of claim 2 wherein said lip extends outwardly substantially the same distance as the thickness of said window. 
     
     
       7. A conversion device for converting a gas resonance photon into a photon characteristic of a molecule containing a gas atom comprising in combination: a resonance lamp filled with a first gas and providing resonance radiation at a first frequency characteristic of said first gas;   a window in said resonance lamp;   a conversion cell filled with said first gas and a second gas;   a window in said conversion cell facing said window in said resonance lamp;   said window in said conversion cell having an inwardly extending lip about its periphery, with radiation from said lamp directed through said windows into said cell forming molecules of said first gas,   which molecules decompose into atoms emitting continuum radiation at frequencies lower than said first frequency; and   a getter within said conversion cell.   
     
     
       8. The conversion device of claim 7 wherein said first gas has a partial pressure between 0.1 and 10 torr and said second gas has a pressure between 100 and 1000 torr. 
     
     
       9. The conversion device of claim 7 wherein said first gas has a partial pressure between 0.1 and 10 torr, said second gas has a partial pressure between 100 and 1000 torr, and further comprising a thermal decomposition source of a third gas, said third gas having a pressure between 0.1 and 10 torr.   
     
     
       10. A conversion device for converting a gas resonance photon into a photon characteristic of a gas diatomic molecule comprising in combination: a conversion cell containing two gases;   a resonance lamp filled with one of said gases and providing resonance radiation at a first frequency characteristic of said one gas;   means for illuminating said two gases in said conversion cell by the resonance radiation characteristic of said gas in said resonance cell so as to excite said one of said gases in said conversion cell producing molecules of said one gas which molecules decompose into gas atoms emitting continuum radiation at frequencies lower than said first frequency.   
     
     
       11. A method of producing continuum radiation including the steps of: generating resonance photons of a first gas at a first frequency; and   directing said resonance photons into a mixture of said first gas and at least one other gas producing molecules of said first gas by collisional energy transfer, which molecules decompose into atoms emitting continuum radiation at frequencies lower than said first frequency.   
     
     
       12. The method of claim 11 including adding a third gas to said first and one other gas. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim 11 including maintaining said first gas at a partial pressure between 0.1 and 10 torr and said one other gas at a partial pressure between 100 and 1,000 torr. 
     
     
       14. The method of claim 1 including maintaining said first gas at a partial pressure between 0.1 and 10 torr, and providing second and third gases, maintaining said second gas at a pressure between 100 and 10,000 torr and said third gas at a pressure between 0.1 and 10 torr.